


You Couldn't Stop if You Tried It

by JusteAmusant



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Angst, Canon Divergence, M/M, Secret Relationship, angry McDanno, other girlfriends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-24
Updated: 2014-08-19
Packaged: 2018-02-10 04:34:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2011089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JusteAmusant/pseuds/JusteAmusant
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><em>Steve angrily caught Danny’s earlobe between his teeth. “You aren’t mad because I sucked your cock. You’re mad because I did it better than she does.” </em><br/> <br/>There has always been tension, always been anger, always been something raging just below the surface. What happens when it finally explodes?</p><p>Oh. And they both have girlfriends</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Title borrowed from "See Beneath Your Beautiful" by Labrinth and Emeli Sande. Where would I be without music. Seriously. 
> 
> Not really AU, but extreme canon divergence. I just can't shake the scenario of all that tension and emotion between Steve and Danny coming out as confusion and anger. With feelings that deep, they are bound to take some of that out on each other before they really understand what they want, and what they are willing to risk. Thanks for playing along  
> Thanks KoaLani for the beta! All mistakes are mine

_“You tell all the boys ‘no’…makes you feel good, yeah. I know you’re out of my league, but that won’t scare me away, oh, no.”_

 

_Monday_

“What the hell was that?” Danny asked, sweeping his arm back towards the door. He had made his escape to the bathroom as soon as it had been socially acceptable after discussing their case.

Steve faced him, stone faced. “What was what, Danno.”

Danny made a noise of disbelief and turned towards the sink to wash his hands and attempt to compose himself. He roughly dried off with a paper towel and turned back to Steve. Like the fucker really didn’t know.

"’What do you think we should do, Danno?’” Danny mimicked Steve’s silky tone, and, running his hand across Steve’s lower back, his earlier actions.

Steve tilted his head down to the side and slightly back to watch Danny’s hand disappear behind Steve.

Danny mocked him again. “’Maybe Danny and I should go check out the ex-husband’s house.’” As he said the same words Steve had said in front of their team a few moments before, Danny cupped the back of Steve’s neck and lightly trailed his fingers down Steve’s back.

Steve’s jaw tightened, but he still didn’t say anything. The back of his neck tingled where Danny had touched it. He hoped that’s how Danny felt every time Steve touched him. Every goddamn time he put his hands on the man he couldn’t have.

“Any of this ringing a bell, McGarrett? Getting through that thick skull of yours?” Danny faced him again. “What the hell were you thinking? Touching me like that while we are at work? Chin and Kono are goddamned detectives you moron, not to mention our best friends. You think they won’t notice the signals you are broadcasting my way?”

Steve smirked and grabbed Danny’s wrist, stroking the underside with his thumb. “Are you mad because you don’t like it?” He deepened his voice. “Or because you do?” He took a step forward, using his height to his advantage to look down at Danny.

Like Danny would ever really be intimidated by Steve. Angered, frustrated, turned on beyond belief, yes, but not intimidated. “What happened last weekend,” Danny ground out, “was a one-time thing. We were both shaken by the kidnapping case, we had a few drinks, and our emotions got to the better of us. It won’t. Happen. Again.”

“We both want it to.” Steve braced his arms on the sink behind Danny, boxing him in. Steve bent his head towards Danny’s neck. “I can’t stop thinking about it.”

Danny put both hands on Steve’s chest and shoved. Hard. He ducked underneath Steve’s arm and spun around to face him, his back to the bathroom wall. “I don’t want it to. And I haven’t thought about it since,” he lied. “I have Amber to go home to. And you have Catherine.” He noticed the slight twitch in Steve’s arms.

“I haven’t _had_ Catherine since Billy died.” Steve placed dirty emphasis on the verb. He kept his back to Danny, looking at him in the mirror. He was angry about being shoved but quickly regained his composure. “And that kiss you and I had? That was filthier than any kiss I’ve ever had with her. And what happened after…” Steve pointedly dropped his eyes down to Danny’s crotch. “I didn’t imagine the moans you made, or the way you held onto my hair for dear life.”

Danny’s eyes dropped to Steve’s mouth.

“No one is that passionate about two people at once, Danno. And your eyes don’t come to life when we all go out and _Amber_ touches you. Not the way they did for me, when they were looking down at me.” In less than two seconds, Steve spun around, took two steps, and slammed his hands onto the wall behind Danny on either side of his head, grinding his hips against Danny’s. Lowering his head, Steve’s hot breath was on Danny’s ear when he spoke again. “You aren’t mad that we kissed. You aren’t mad that you came to my house that night instead of going back to Amber’s.” Steve angrily caught Danny’s earlobe between his teeth. “You aren’t mad because I sucked your cock. You’re mad because I did it better than she does.”

Steve pushed himself off the wall and away from Danny, the bathroom door swinging behind him.

 

_The previous Friday_

Danny ground the heels of his hands into his eyes. He couldn’t get rid of the image of that little girl tied to a chair, her wrists bloody and her eyes terrified. His hands came away wet and he didn’t even bother blaming the moisture on the quickly accumulating condensation of the beer bottle on the coffee table. He was man enough to admit that today’s events had shaken him. His heart bled for the little girl who would forever be plagued with nightmares, and his brain couldn’t keep from superimposing Gracie’s face over the features of that little girl.

The little girl that may have nightmares for years to come, but at least she had walked away in one piece, he reminded himself. Cases like these were so bittersweet; they had caught the bad guys and saved the girl, but it still served to remind him just how much evil there is in this world.

No matter how hard they fight, no matter how many criminals they put away, there will always be more. There will always be evil to counter the good, and sometimes that thought overtakes Danny so violently that it’s all he can do to breathe through the outrage. His anguished scream tore through his apartment. To hell if he woke the neighbors. The emotion was too much to hold in.

The events of the day rolled through his mind; learning that eight year old Molly had been snatched right out of her own front yard, trailing leads until they narrowed down their suspect list to one of two men, finding the rented house with its hidden basement that had housed Molly for a sickening eighteen hours. The four of them going in guns drawn, Steve and Kono taking out the kidnapper – Molly’s third grade teacher, for God’s sake -while he and Chin had raced downstairs to release Molly.

Her sobs of fear racking her little body when she saw two men coming down the stairs towards her, the relief that flooded her eyes as they soothed and calmed, untying the bonds that held her little wrists and ankles and assuring her that they were the good guys and no one would ever hurt her again.

Danny grabbed the beer bottle off the table and downed the contents. He was about to grab a third out of the fridge when his phone buzzed.

_Even the ocean is angry tonight._

Steve. Danny could picture him sitting -no, wait, after today Steve wouldn’t be able to just sit- standing on the beach, beer bottle –or maybe something stronger – in hand, eyes just as haunted as Danny’s. Another buzz from his phone.

_It’s okay, Danno. We saved her._

 Steve. Trying to reassure Danny and himself at the same time. Steve, knowing that this case would hit Danny harder than most because it involved a child about Gracie’s age. Danny, knowing how much Steve had come to love Grace. Knowing that he wasn’t the only one thinking about his daughter tonight.

Danny fired off a quick one-word text.

_Catherine?_

Two responses came in rapid succession.

_Not here._

_Amber?_

Danny stared as his phone, his thumb moving across the keys before he could stop himself.

_Nope._

Danny unbuttoned his dress shirt, and hadn’t even pulled his arms out of the sleeves before Steve’s next text came through.

_Come over._

Danny let his shirt fall to the floor and grabbed his car keys.

 

Steve heard Danny’s footsteps shuffling through the sand as his partner made his way over to the shoreline. Steve stood ankle deep in the water that was still pure blue, even if it looked as black as the night.

Danny didn’t say a word as he approached, just walked into the water to stand shoulder to shoulder with Steve, the white fabric of his tee shirt just barely touching Steve’s bare skin. Steve was wearing only cargo shorts, and damned if Danny didn’t glance down before Steve could see him.

Steve walked forward, wading into the water up to his waist. Danny watched the muscles of Steve’s back as he walked, watched his strong legs cut through the water, watched the two dimples at the lowest point of Steve’s back wink back at him as Steve moved as fluidly as the water. Danny slowly followed, stopping just behind Steve.

“We saved her, babe. Just like you said.” Danny said softly. Steve spun around, facing Danny, fists clenched. He was breathing loudly, his nostrils almost flaring. “Yeah,” he said roughly. He looked past Danny, back to the shore as if expecting to find the answers to all of his problems etched out in the sand. He turned again and waded in to his chest before ducking completely under water.

“This water won’t cleanse us of all our sins, babe.” Danny said into the night while Steve was still submerged. But still, Danny followed. He dove under water, swimming a few feet further into its inky depths. Even with his eyes closed, he emerged to find his footing just inches from Steve, standing chest to chest and barely a whisper between them.

They stood solid and still as the ocean swirled around them, the water’s energy stirring up their energy within. Their eyes locked on each other’s, neither one capitulating, all of their fears and secrets being shared without a word.

Steve broke first. He reached out of the water to grab Danny’s wrist and pull him close. Steve yanked Danny against his chest and their lips were pressed together before the next wave came rolling in.

Danny didn’t protest, didn’t pull away, just gave as good as he got and wrapped his arms around Steve’s neck to pull Steve’s head even closer to his own. Their tongues mingled and tasted as every ounce of their stress was finally given the chance to be released. Steve gripped Danny’s biceps when he felt Danny’s leg hook around his hip, and when Danny’s other leg followed suit Steve ran his hands down Danny’s torso until they rounded his hips and landed on Danny’s ass. Giving it a squeeze, he hitched his arms slightly so that Danny’s legs were completely wrapped around his waist, their cocks straining against their pants and towards each other.

Steve ripped his mouth away only so he could rake his mouth along Danny’s jawline, nipping at his neck and scraping it with his teeth. He soothed the marks with his tongue, and reluctantly moved his hands from Danny’s ass to his hips to steady him as he moved his mouth downward, teething Danny’s shoulder, his chest, his stomach.

“Steve,” Danny breathed. He leaned his head back and his eyes fell closed. Danny’s hands were on Steve’s shoulders and he held on to Steve as he let everything else go.

“Danny,” Steve answered as he licked a trail from Danny’s sternum to his belly button. Steve swirled his tongue along the muscled line of Danny’s hips, from his waist down towards his…

“Steve.” Danny felt Steve’s fingers undoing the fly of his pants, felt the fabric of both his pants and briefs being yanked down past his hips. A hand gripped his erection and gently freed it from its confines while Steve’s mouth just kept…going….lower….

Danny gritted his teeth and fisted his hands in Steve’s hair. This wasn’t happening. Steve’s mouth was not trailing along his hip, Steve’s hands were not on his cock, Danny was not trying to hold in a moan as Steve’s hot mouth wrapped around him. “Oh, God, Steve!” That hot mouth enveloped him, quickly sinking down the length of his cock. Danny glanced down to see that Steve had gone completely under water to suck him off. Danny watched Steve’s head move back and forth along his dick, his hips unconsciously thrusting against Steve’s mouth because he just couldn’t get enough.

Steve surfaced long enough for a quick sparkling glance at Danny, and a quick inhale, before he dug his fingers into Danny’s hips and sank back underwater, taking Danny slowly all the way into his mouth. Slowly, inch by agonizing inch, Steve took him back in. Danny bit his bottom lip and let out a ragged sigh. He tugged on Steve’s shoulders three times before Steve got the hint. Steve thrust up out of the water.

“Together,” Danny said raggedly. He pulled Steve’s mouth against his own in a filthy kiss, tasting himself on Steve’s lips, as he reached down to take Steve in his hand. Danny pumped his fist along Steve’s cock, taking immense pleasure from the ragged moan Steve breathed against his lips. Steve pressed his forehead to Danny’s, his large hand encasing Danny’s as he thrust their cocks together and linked his fingers through Danny’s as they moved faster, faster along each other.

“Danno,” Steve was so close to heaven, so close to ecstasy, so close to breaking. “ _Danny!”_

“Steve.” Danny moved their hands faster. He was in control, even though Steve’s hand was on top. He wrapped his other hand around Steve’s neck and yanked Steve’s mouth against his as he came. Steve thrust his hips into Danny’s hand as his own climax followed. Their breath and the crash of the waves around them were the only sounds that echoed in the star spattered night.

 

The last time Steve had emerged shattered from the ocean, it was to Danny’s almost smiling face telling him that Steve needed to do a better job of picking his friends. This time, he had come apart in the most explosive, pleasurable way. And he’d be going inside with Danny, to succumb to sleep together, instead of seeing him off with a bro hug and a ‘see you at work tomorrow.’

Except when Steve woke up the next morning, Danny was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

_Tuesday_

Danny jogged down a stretch of beach near his apartment, the murderous thoughts running through his head keeping pace with his steps. He was angry with Steve for inviting him over last Friday, enticing him into the ocean to do what even today makes Danny’s blood run hot and pants get tight. He was angry with Amber, for not saying the right things when he told her his feelings about the kidnapping case. It was her house he should have been at that night, dammit, not Steve’s. He was angry with Kono for even putting the damn fool idea of ‘Danny And Steve’ in his head in the first place two years ago, when Steve had gotten out of jail and on a drunken mistake Danny had told her his mixed feelings about that goddamn _look_ he and Steve had exchanged while driving Max’s dorky car. He was angry with Chin for never saying a goddamn word about it, just giving each of them questioning looks when the office tension- angst – looks – okay, fucking _flirting_  got to crossing a professional level.

He was angry at Steve for kissing him. Angry at Steve for being able to hold his breath that long, to convert oxygen to pleasure that slid right through Danny’s dick and into his heart. Angry at Steve for his teasing and his closeness and the torturous touching at the office today. He was angry at Steve for making him feel ten times what he had ever felt for Rachel, for making him want, for making him _need._

And as Danny’s feet slapped the packed sand, he tried to push all of the disgust out of his body, down his legs, and into the soles of his feet to leave on the beach. Danny was most angry with himself.  He was angry about following Steve into the ocean that night, he was angry for wanting it so goddamn bad, he was angry that what he felt for Amber didn’t even amount to a smolder compared to the fire in him that burned for Steve.

And as Danny rounded mile six, he finally admitted to himself that he was most angry for walking out on Steve at three o’clock that morning like a coward. He had pushed aside his feelings with the same ease with which he had pushed aside the covers and walked out of Steve’s bedroom.

He knew Steve had woken up at the noise. There was no way he hadn’t. But he hadn’t tried to stop him. And that told Danny all he needed to know.

 

_Steve was breathing heavily, his eyes at half-mast as he felt cool sheets beneath him and a hot body above him. Danny’s fiery mouth was blazing its way down Steve’s chest, their legs tangling together within the sheets. Steve’s eyes fell closed when he felt Danny’s hands graze his hips, felt Danny’s tongue slide into his belly button, felt Danny’s lips close around his cock._

_Steve’s jaw tightened, his muscles straining, his fists gripping the sheets. Danny’s tongue was driving him wild, and Steve couldn’t help thrusting his hips into Danny’s mouth._

_“Danny.” Steve panted. “Danny, please, I’m gonna…”_

Steve woke up on a moan, his fists actually clenching the sheets and his cock straining upward. A slick hand was gliding up and down his dick, and seconds later he felt that wonderful hot mouth again.

Thank God. He was afraid it had all been a dream. But here he was, flat on his back and enjoying a blow job. He moaned again. “Oh, God, D- ahh.”

Except. Shit. Steve had opened his eyes just in time, and it wasn’t a dirty blonde head hovering near his hips but a curtain of dark brown hair. He saved himself just in time, turning that goddamned name into an oath. “Damn, ahhh…”

“Morning, sailor,” Catherine crooned.

 _Shit_ , Steve thought again. His hips were still straining, his brow still sweaty and Danny still pictured in his mind as he came into Catherine’s hand. Shit.

His head fell back onto the pillows.

 

 

The rest of that week at the office was fraught with sexual tension, underlying anger, and a battle of wills that was simmering just below the surface of day to day procedures and responsibilities.

Chin and Kono gave no sign that they noticed the strain around Five-0. Chin manipulated computers and brought in suspects with the same controlled dominance that he always did. His eyes never missed a thing but his mouth never gave it away.  Kono balanced her time between the waves on the North Shore and the files on the tech table.

While keeping her head down to fling stats and rap sheets from the table to the monitors, she spared a glance every few minutes between her two bosses. It was the end of the week, another Friday having inevitably rolled around and even though the bickering had been scaled back, she still could see there was something wrong with Steve and Danny. Steve’s jaw was set in a perpetual lock, whether there were new suspects to track down, or a lead turned into a cut and dried arrest.  Danny’s normally bright eyes were dialed back to a dull blue, similar to the old faded tee shirt that Kono had won in her first surfing contest but just didn’t have the heart to give up.

It was kind of how she felt about her bosses. They were both worn around the edges, both having seen more pain and death than one man should ever have to see. Both had frayed memories and ragged seams, and needed just the right person to wear them over and over again without a second thought. Someone who would love and take care of them and never, ever, throw them away.

Kono’s cell phone buzzed in her pocket, shaking her out of her musings.

“Guys. It’s Fong. He has a match to the print we took off the glass.”

And just like that, the team split up like they always did. Kono in her car, Chin following close on his bike, and Danny and Steve walking out side by side to the Camaro, veering to opposite sides of the car for only a moment to slide in close together again in the front seats, like magnets that couldn’t resist one another’s pull no matter how hard outside forces tried to keep them apart.

 

“Lucky break on this case, huh, Danno? Good eyes, finding that wine glass.” Steve’s long legs shifted as he alternated between brake and gas, slipping effortlessly between highway lanes.

Danny stared out the passenger window, elbow propped on the door panel, fingers against his mouth. “Yeah, well, I am a Detective, Steven. That’s what I do, I detect things. Extract clues from a crime scene, and turn them into evidence that will hopefully prove itself useful to breaking a case.”

Steve gritted his teeth, determined not to let Danny’s bad mood cross into Steve’s side of the car. “It’s the break we needed. Without it, Henley might have never been found.” Steve risked a sidelong glance towards his partner, but he still only saw the back of Danny’s stubborn head. Maybe if he continued the banal case chatter, Danny would eventually join in. Or rant at him for getting too smug in the success of Five-0, because didn’t Steve know that for every criminal they caught, there were ten more to take their place? Maybe if Steve said enough words, Danny would eventually rant about Steve’s driving, yell at him for keeping grenades in the car, or start to finally pick apart what was going on between them.

Steve would take any of those, he would take anything but this calm detachment that Danny had been displaying ever since Steve woke up six days ago to an empty bed, several empty beer bottles on the lanai, and a pain in his heart that he hadn’t felt since…ever.

 

“Trent Henley! Five-0!” The words were said without their usual punch. Trent was calmly sitting at Gate 23, confident that he had hidden his tracks and would fly to Mexico City without repercussion from the US Government. Steve and Danny had spotted him from two gates away, and Trent was too stunned upon seeing them to think about running.

Steve and Danny sat down on either side of Trent. “It was a good game, man,” Steve started. “Kill your wife, frame your brother – I mean, I’d be pissed enough to kill if my brother was banging my wife, wouldn’t you be, Danno?”

“Oh, definitely.” Danny slid into their easy banter as if the last week had never happened. “Of course, I would have washed the dishes after indulging in a victory drink, but hey, what can I say, I’m a neat freak.” Danny slung a companionable arm around Trent’s shoulders to grip his right arm and yank it towards his left, deftly cuffing Henley in his seat.

“Would have been my first priority,” Steve agreed. He nudged Trent playfully. “After hiding the body, of course.”

Danny looked over Trent’s head towards Steve. “How do you think the guys in Halawa will respond to a lady killer, Commander?”

A rush shot through Steve at Danny’s return to normalcy, and also, he admitted to himself, at Danny’s use of his rank. Steve squeezed Trent’s shoulder, hard. “Not well, Detective.” He none too gently hauled Henley to his feet. “Not well at all.”

 

Kono popped her head into Danny’s office that afternoon before she left. “Hey. Glad Henley didn’t give you guys any trouble.” She smiled at him and was happy when Danny returned it.

Danny leaned back in his chair and stretched. “Yeah, for once we didn’t have to run after, or tackle, or shoot anyone, so I’m calling this a quiet day.”

Kono studied him, and looked pointedly towards Steve’s office. “It’s been a quiet week, brah.” Her eyes softened.

Danny raked his teeth over his lower lip. “What’s up, Kono.” He stood and shuffled some papers on his desk. When Kono still didn’t say anything, he looked up at her with a prompting look.

Kono sighed. “Okay.” She dug her hands into her back pockets. “Chin, Adam and I are going out with Kamekona to celebrate the big guy’s fourth year of entrepreneurship. You should come with.”

Danny closed his laptop. “No thanks. I’m not up for the bar scene tonight.”

“Oh, no. You aren’t getting out of it that easily. Kamekona won’t forgive you if you miss this.” Danny was usually more talkative when he had had few. She was hoping to pull him away tonight and find out what the hell had happened between him and Steve last weekend. He had confided in her before, and she was hoping he would do it again.

“I actually have plans with Amber tonight.” Danny picked up his keys. “But thanks for the invite.”

Kono shrugged, hoping she wasn’t making a mistake. “Bring her with.” She left his office before he could object.

 

Steve looked up when Chin opened his office door. Chin saw the cell phone at Steve’s ear and prepared to wait patiently for his conversation to end. He was just here to pass along Kamekona’s party invite.

 “Wouldn’t miss it, brah.” Chin smiled at Steve’s words. Kame had apparently beat him to it.

“Yep. Four years of your shave ice, shrimp plates, and helicopter tours. It’s amazing that all of the members of 5-0 are still alive.” Steve teased. Chin chuckled; he had said something similar to Kame just moments ago.

 _”Hey brah, with all the lolo stunts you guys pull, I would have to agree.”_ Steve’s phone was loud enough that Chin could hear both sides of the conversation. He started to back out of the office, Kame’s call negating the reason for Chin’s visit anyway. Apparently when Kamekona had told Chin to “invite the rest of 5-0” he had really meant “actually, it doesn’t matter because I will call them all anyway and have the same conversation with all of you”.

“Right, Kame.” Steve good-naturedly rolled his eyes. “See you soon.” Steve made to end the call, but Kamekona wasn’t done.

 _“Yeah, and don’t forget to tell Little Jersey. You’re no fun if you don’t have your little haole to party with, brah.”_ Chin raised an eyebrow and had to bite back a laugh. Okay, so maybe not the _exact_ same conversation.

Steve scowled at the phone and tossed it onto his desk a little harder than necessary. “What’s up, Chin.”

“Nothin much, now. Just came by to pass along Kame’s invite.” Chin’s eyes sparkled. “But I see he’s already taken care of that.” If he didn’t know any better, he would swear Steve’s cheeks got a little redder.

“Yeah.” Steve raked a hand over his face and stood up. He looked tired.

“Steve.” Chin spoke gently, and took a step towards Steve’s desk. “Is everything alright?”

Steve quickly skirted past him, ignoring his question. “I’ll see you tonight, Chin.”

Chin watched Steve leave HQ without his customary stop by Danny’s office.  Kono caught up with Chin as he was leaving. “Anything?”

Chin studied Danny as they passed his office. He was holding his car keys and staring down at his phone. “Nah. Steve’s not talking. No surprise there.”

Kono sighed as they left the building. “Danny didn’t seem too excited about meeting up tonight. He said he was hanging out with Amber.” They walked side by side to the parking lot. “I told him to just bring her along.” Kono sounded as enthusiastic about that as Chin felt.  It wasn’t that he didn’t like Amber. He just didn’t think 5-0 should be hanging out with minors.

Okay, fine. That wasn’t fair. But still. Amber wasn’t right for Danny. “So. Danny has Amber, Steve will bring Catherine, you’ll have Adam, and I’m stuck with the big guy for my date.”

“Aw, cuz. That just means you can take your pick tonight at the bar.” Kono gave him a playful nudge. She turned serious. “Something’s up with them. They’ve been weird around the office all week.”

“Maybe it’s just work stress.” Chin couldn’t even make the lie sound halfway convincing.

Kono opened her car door and rested her arm on top of it. “Yeah, cuz.” She rolled her eyes. “ _Work_ stress.”

“Leave it alone, Kono. If they need to talk to us, they will. “Chin threw one leg over his bike. “Either a night out will be good for them, or…” He shrugged.

Kono thought of how her bosses had been acting that week. “Or it will be bad for all of us.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny is still being stubborn. Steve's kind of a dick. And they aren't fooling anyone. At least not Chin

Steve loped up the sandy walkway towards the lanai decorated with glass tables, metal chairs, and way too many tiki torches. His eyes scanned the crowd of diners and tourists, easily spotting Kamekona sitting at the head of a rectangular table on the edge of the patio. From the looks of it, he had already missed out on the first round.

He drew in a breath and made his way towards the table. He loved his friends, and he really was happy for Kamekona, but he really didn’t feel like socializing tonight.  He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Danny since – okay, well, since Danny had punched him almost four years ago – but _really_ hadn’t been able to stop thinking about last Friday –shit, has it already been a week? - and after Danny’s reprimand in the HQ bathroom, Steve had not been able to get his head back on straight. And the fight that he had just had with Catherine didn’t help at all.  Normally a night out with his team gave him a chance to let loose, drop his guard for a little while, and relax.  Steve had done none of those things recently.

Well. Not since last weekend. With Danny.

_Steve had loomed over her in his kitchen. “Look me in the eye and tell me you didn’t have feelings for Billy.”_

_Catherine remained silent, but didn’t back away from him. She looked him in the eye, but the denial he had asked for never came._

_Steve was a little surprised about how little he cared about that. He was only pushing the issue so that he wouldn’t have to shoulder the weight of relationship-ending guilt alone._

_He wanted to be friends with Cath again. And he wanted Danny….fuck, he just wanted Danny._

As Steve approached the table, he could hear Kono’s charming laugh, saw the light in Adam’s eyes as he watched her. The corner of Steve’s mouth lifted as he watched Kamekona raise a toast to himself, Chin keeping a celebratory but watchful eye on his friends. 

 “Hey Steve!” Kono called out as he approached their table. Her hand was tucked into Adam’s.

“Where is da lovely Mrs. Navy?” Kamekona asked with a grin. The others chuckled.

“Yeah, something came up.” Like her now dead crush –Steve cringed a bit at his own callousness- and Steve’s current denial.

_“You did know it was me laying there on the sheets, didn’t you, Cath?” Steve didn’t fail to see the irony in his question, but the last several weeks of anger and tension were getting to him._

_“Yes, but I’m not so sure I can say the same for you!” Catherine yelled back. “How do you think I feel, Steve, when I hear everyone refer to your ‘partner’, and know that they don’t mean me? How do you think it feels when the three of us go out, and people look at me like_ I’m _the third wheel?” Cath crossed her arms over herself. Her voice softened, but there was still plenty of anger there, and hurt. “Or when you have nightmares and flashbacks, and he’s the one you have to call, even though I’m right there with you?” Her voice caught. “Or when I hear you sigh his name in your sleep?”_

There had been more arguing, and Catherine hadn’t deserved some –okay, most- of the things Steve had said to her. Steve sure as hell hadn’t deserved the almost sympathetic look on her face as she left, nor the relatively calm way that she had walked out the door. Cath would forgive him later, he knew, just as he knew he would feel like shit about the way he had treated her.

_It was easier to make her angry than to admit what a jerk he’d been, or that while they had been taking a break these last few weeks he had given in to his greatest temptation and had loved every naughty second of it._

_He needed to man up and tell her that they were over._

_Steve didn’t realize he had said that last part out loud. “This has been over for a while now, Steve.” Catherine shook her head sadly. “I’m not the only one with feelings for someone else.”_

Steve pulled himself back to the present and signaled their waitress. “What can I do for you,” she purred after rushing over.

“Oh, plenty, I’m sure.” Steve flashed her one of his brilliant smiles. She giggled. “But I’ll start with a shot of Jack and a Longboard.” He smiled after her as she rushed off. Catherine had walked out, Danny had rejected him. Steve was determined to enjoy this night out with his friends, and if he enjoyed the attention that was being thrown his way, who could blame him?

Chin raised an eyebrow. “Smooth, brah.” He studied Steve. “So, no Catherine?”

Steve’s shot appeared in front of him in no time. He threw it back and handed the waitress the empty glass. “Thanks sweetheart. How about bringing a round for the table?” Danny was noticeably absent from the gathering. Steve couldn’t help the sudden _fuck him_ that popped into his head.

His friends eyed him questioningly. “What? It’s this guy’s big night!” He slapped Kamekona on the back.

After a moment’s silence, Kamekona smacked his hands on the table and grinned. “That it is, my brotha!” The waitress came back with five shots and placed them in the middle of the table, letting her arm brush against Steve’s.

Steve perched his forearms on the table and leaned in as if divulging military secrets, addressing Chin’s question. “The lovely Catherine,” Steve held up his glass and examined the liquid, “has decided to move on to purer waters.” He made a fluttering motion with his hand.

Chin and Kono exchanged a look.

“So!” Steve held up his glass in a toast. “To goodbyes, new beginnings, and the quirkiest businessman I have ever known.” Kamekona grinned and tapped his glass against Steve’s. “Congratulations, you son of a bitch.” Steve downed his shot with a smile. Chin, Kono, and Adam followed suit, loosening up again after Steve’s ribbing of Kamekona.

They were still laughing when Danny walked up, Amber hanging onto his elbow. “Hey guys, sorry we are a bit late. We got uh,” Danny’s eyes twinkled as he looked at Amber, “distracted.” Danny looked around the table and pulled out a couple of chairs next to Chin. He sat directly across from Steve.

Steve’s smile was frozen on his face. He felt like crushing his shot glass with his bare hand. “Hey, Danno. I was just about to order another round.”

“Oh, are you actually buying?” Danny slung an arm across the back of Amber’s chair. Chin and Kono chuckled. Steve thought he saw a thick white bandage on Danny’s index finger, but his arm had gone behind Amber too quickly to be sure.

Steve locked his eyes on Danny’s. “The first one is free.” He pitched his voice lower. “After that, it’ll cost you.” Danny’s knuckles tightened on Amber’s chair. _Good,_ Steve thought smugly. No reason Steve should be the only one thinking of that night in the ocean.

“Danny? What do you want to drink?” Amber nudged him, forcing his gaze away from Steve’s. The waitress had returned to check on her newest guests.

“I’ll take a Longboard, please.” He turned back to Steve. “Where’s Cath?”

The waitress tried to listen for Steve’s answer while taking Amber’s order. Steve leaned back in his chair. Yep, definitely a bandage on his finger. Concern almost overrode jealously. Almost. “Cath decided that she preferred her men a little less…” he raked his gaze up and down Danny’s body, “complicated.” Steve turned his grin on the waitress. “So, I’m newly single.”

She smiled back. “And I’m Mindy. I’ll go get that next round.”

Danny’s eyes clouded. Steve smirked.

“Respect, Steve.” Adam said. “Guy gets dumped, then gets a new girl two hours later.” He pulled Kono against his side. “Lucky I have my own special girl here, or else I’d be supremely jealous of your skills.”

Kamekona slapped Steve on the back and Chin’s eyes crinkled.

“Oh, McGarrett here is great at multitasking.” Danny said sweetly.

“Never hurts to have a Plan B, Danno.” Steve was trying hard to keep the mood light. That ‘first time is free’ dig at Danny he couldn’t help, but he would be on his best behavior for the rest of the night. Kamekona was his friend, and he didn’t want to steal his thunder or make the night uncomfortable for everyone.

“Plan B? No, my friend, you can only have a Plan B if you have Plan A.” Danny turned towards Amber. “This guy never plans anything. He got me shot the first day we worked together. The McGarrett School of Planning does not exist. Only the McGarrett School of Shoot First, Second and Third.”

“Or the McGarrett School of Roof Hanging.” Chin contributed. Mindy dropped off seven shots this time, lingering near Steve’s chair.

“And the McGarrett School of Bomb Rigging.” Kono fist bumped Steve as the shots were passed around.

“Yeah, my girl has learned quite a lot from you, McGarrett.” Adam grinned, raising his glass.

“Hey, hey! Let’s not forget why we are all here!” Kamekona good-naturedly interrupted. “McGarrett don’t need no ego stroking! Tonight is all about Kame!” His smile was infectious and everyone laughed as they clinked their glasses together and threw the shots back.

The cousins and Adam soon got into a discussion over which of Kame’s shrimp plates was the most delicious, and Steve pushed Danny’s Longboard closer to him. “You’ve got some catching up to do, Danno.”

 “Why does Steve keep calling you that?” Amber asked innocently.

Kamekona barked out a laugh. “That’s Steve’s nickname for Little Jersey! Ever since I met them.”

Steve’s eyes met Danny’s as they sipped from their beer bottles.

Danny spoke with the bottle pressed against his lips. “It’s _Grace’s_ nickname for me. Steve just feels overly entitled, that’s all.”

Steve leaned towards Amber conspiratorially but his eyes were on Danny. “He loves it when I call him that.” Steve suggestively ran his fingers up and down his slick beer bottle.

“I’m resigned to it.” Danny gritted out. He waved the waitress over for another Longboard.

 

Adam and Chin were engaged in an intense game of Thumb War, with Kono calling winner and Kamekona refereeing. When had Danny started working with a bunch of fifth graders?

And if ‘Mindy’ put her hand on Steve’s shoulder and her boobs in Steve’s face one more time, Danny was pretty sure he was going to lose it. And what the hell was Steve’s hand doing that low on her back?

“Another Longboard?” Danny smiled at her but his eyes were shooting venom. “That is, if you can spare the time.” He waggled his empty bottle. His finger was hurting like a sonofabitch, and the alcohol was helping to dull the pain.

Mindy stood up and reluctantly headed towards the bar.

“Danny, manners!” Amber admonished.

“Yeah, Danno. Treat Mindy with some respect.” Easy for Steve to say. His Longboard supply never seemed to run low. And should they really be drinking this much? Maybe he should give Amber his keys.

“Respect? Okay, Steven. Keep that in mind next time you come this close to grabbing her ass.” Danny held his thumb and forefinger together.

Steve just chuckled, the bastard. “What happened to your finger, Danno?”

“None of your business, Steven. Just a scratch.” He absolutely was not about to tell Steve that he had sliced a good looking gash through his finger while chopping tomatoes and thinking about last Friday. He had made his famous spaghetti recipe for Amber earlier that night. Amber had whined about pasta being full of carbs, Danny had distracted himself with thoughts of Steve and how Steve would have enjoyed every last bite. He had thought of Steve’s mouth on his dick, his tongue swirling around it like the salt water of the ocean, and Danny had chopped a little too hard and sliced right through his finger. He had done his Jersey heritage proud with the string of swear words that had left his mouth as he wrapped gauze around the gash and had finally staunched the bleeding after ten whole minutes.

 “So, Amber, I’m sorry you haven’t seen much of Danny lately. Last weekend was pretty incredible.” Steve’s voice washed over him like the whiskey from the shot. “And this week I’ve just needed him so badly…around the office.” Danny kicked Steve under the table. He hoped it would leave a bruise.

Oblivious, Amber waved her hand. “Oh, no problem!” She wiggled closer to Danny and nuzzled her forehead against his. “We’ve tried to make up for it these last couple of days.” She giggled.

Tried being the operative word, Danny thought bitterly. Oh, no doubt about it, he knew how to please his woman. But as gorgeous as Amber was, thoughts of a taller, more muscular figure had been the catalyst for all of Danny’s climaxes lately.

“Fantastic.” Steve’s tone indicated it was anything but. Danny smiled smugly at this little victory. Danny was sick of Steve’s not so subtle attempts to get a rise out of him because dammit, it had been working. Steve hadn’t taken his eyes off of Danny for more than ten seconds all night. How did everyone not see that smolder that he was laying on Danny? How could they not pick up on all of his double meanings, all his innuendos?

The man was driving him crazy. If Steve licked his lips while looking at Danny one more time, Danny was going to haul him across the table.

And therein lay the problem. Danny had lost Rachel, and look how long it had taken them to get to this precarious friendship they had now. Danny hadn’t fought very hard to keep Gabby, deeming the distance and the lack of chemistry not worth fighting for. Danny was having fun with Amber, but would move on pretty easily if she left.

But Steve. Danny just couldn’t risk losing Steve. That’s why this had to stop. They needed to go back to being partners, strictly professionally. Sex just made things complicated. And while Danny couldn’t deny that Steve had given him one of the best orgasms he had ever had –Danny refused to admit that was most likely due to the sheer intensity of his feelings for Steve- it just couldn’t happen again.  Danny was angry for now, and he could distance himself from it all for a while and move on. But not if he went to bed with Steve, not if he gave Steve every last part of him.

Steve had made no move to keep him there when Danny had gotten out of bed that night. As explosive as their chemistry was, Danny refused to give in to a short term sexual relationship at the risk to their long term friendship.  Steve already knew him better than anyone, could read his faces and his moods without one word being exchanged. Danny loved him, loved him like anyone loves their best friend.

And if he kept telling himself that’s all it was, sometimes he believed it.

Danny knew what it felt like to be in love, had had that feeling exactly three times in his life. He had felt it for Julie, at his senior prom. He had felt it watching Rachel walk down the aisle. And he had been feeling it for about three years now, for the most reckless, gorgeous, broken, selfless _man_ he had ever met. But he would continue to just love him as a friend. He couldn’t give any more than that without losing out in the long run.

 

“You look flushed, Danno.” Steve’s voice broke into his thoughts. “Are you hot?”

How could the man make one word sound so dirty? “I’m good, Steven. Thanks ever so much for your concern.” Danny’s cheeks were flushed from looking at Steve’s lips for the past half hour.

“You sure?” To anyone else, Steve sounded concerned, but Danny knew he was anything but. Danny felt Steve’s leg brush his under the table.

Amber worried her bottom lip with her teeth. “Is your finger bothering you, Danny? Maybe you should go check it.”

Bless her sweet, naïve, little heart. “It’s fine.” Danny had to keep from gritting his teeth when Steve ran his foot up Danny’s calf.

“We should go check it, Danno,” Steve suggested innocently. “It could be infected.”

Chin and Kono had given up on their game and were one hundred percent focused on the drama happening a few seats down.

“I think I know how to take care of a scratch, Steven.” Danny downed what was left of his beer. Steve’s leg running along his calf definitely did not make Danny think of other parts of Steve running along other parts of Danny.

“Cuts can get infected quickly.” Steve reasoned. “I’m trained. Let’s go have a look.” Steve’s eyes dropped to Danny’s mouth and back to his eyes so quickly that Danny wasn’t sure that anyone else noticed.

Steve pulled a butterfly bandage out of a pocket of his cargos. “At the very least, we should change the dressing.” Steve’s foot was perilously close to Danny’s crotch.

How could Amber not notice what was going on under the table? And why hadn’t Danny yanked Steve’s foot away?

Danny felt everyone’s eyes on him. Great. Now he could either argue with Steve and look like a dick, or he could escape for a few minutes and give in to Steve’s ploy.

“Fine,” he ground out. He looked at Chin and Kono. “But there better be another round waiting when I get back.”

 

“Why do I get the feeling that you’re about to punch me?” Steve leaned lazily against the stall door.

“I haven’t punched you in three and a half years; I’m pretty sure you’re due, you jackass.” Danny’s eyes burned. “What the hell are you doing?”

A lazy smirk slid across Steve’s face. “You don’t want to punch me, Danno.” He slowly moved closer. “You want to fu-“

“Wrong, Steven.” Danny brought his hands up to Steve’s chest, fully intending to push him away.

“That’s too bad,” Steve murmured, grabbing the slender hips that plagued his dreams. “Because I want to fuck you.” Steve captured Danny’s lips in a hasty kiss. “I want to see you lying naked beneath me.” His tongue assaulted Danny’s mouth.  “I want to hear you moan for me.” Steve inserted a thigh in between Danny’s legs.

Danny swore at himself as he ground his hips against Steve’s thigh. “What the hell was that under the table foreplay out there, McGarrett?” Danny raked his hands through Steve’s hair and dragged Steve’s mouth down to his.

Steve hastily untucked Danny’s button-up from his slacks and ran his hands along skin that was now becoming bronzed after spending years on the islands. Steve couldn’t get enough. “I want to touch you, taste you. I want to tease you until you are begging for it.” He grabbed Danny’s ass and pulled him against his straining cock.

Danny groaned when he felt Steve’s hardness. “I’m here with my girlfriend. You. Asshole.” He moaned when Steve’s hands worked in between them and brushed against the front of his pants.

Steve walked them forward until Danny’s hips hit the bathroom sink. “You’re here now, with me.” Steve’s mouth took his again. “Did you tell her about last weekend?” Steve ripped the top two buttons of Danny’s shirt open. “Does she know that you held onto me,” Steve lightly bit into Danny’s neck, “thrust yourself into my mouth,” Steve undid the button of Danny’s slacks, “moaned my name when you came for me?” Steve’s hand wrapped around Danny’s hard cock.

Danny grunted, at the same time pushing Steve away but wanting him closer. “I hate you.” Danny ran his hands under Steve’s shirt, not getting enough of feeling Steve’s muscles bunch and tremble underneath his fingers.

“No you don’t.” Steve hitched Danny up so he was sitting on the sink, and uttered words eerily similar to those he had said in the car two years ago. “That’s a lie. You love me.” The words were no less true now than they were then.

Danny’s breath caught at hearing the words said aloud as he wrapped his good hand around Steve’s cock. “What if someone walks in.” Danny panted. His injured hand was draped over Steve’s shoulder. Steve’s hand was doing magical things to his dick in rhythm with the strokes Danny was giving Steve.

“Like I give a fuck right now,” Steve groaned as Danny twisted his wrist a bit. “Tell me she makes you feel like this, Danny.” Steve thrust up into Danny’s hand as his mouth delved into Danny’s again. “Tell me she can do this for you, and I’ll stop.”

Danny met Steve’s tongue with his own. His wrist jerked faster. “You stop, and I’ll kill you.” Danny felt smug satisfaction shoot through him as Steve came upon hearing his words. Danny wasn’t far behind.

“Shit, Danno.” Steve pressed his forehead to Danny’s. “I…I lov-“ Steve bit his tongue when he heard the door open. He hastily tucked himself back into his pants when he heard someone walk in.

Danny did the same, hopping off the sink and turning his back on the intruder. They weren’t fooling anyone. They were both still breathing heavily, and while Danny was quickly washing the evidence of their transgression down the sink, Steve held his dirty hand, the one Danny had come all over, behind his back as Chin walked in to the bathroom.

Danny kept his gaze down as he washed his hands as best he could without getting his bandage wet.

“Everything okay in here guys?” Chin looked between the two men. Danny’s eyes were on the sink and Steve’s were on Danny.

“Fine.” Danny made a hasty escape, leaving Steve to deal with their friend.

 

Steve watched Danny walk out of the restroom. This scene was becoming all too familiar.

“Steve.” Chin’s voice sounded the first time, made him blink the second time, and finally registered the third time. “ _Steve.”_

Steve’s head whipped around, his eyes throwing darts at Chin. He headed to the sink as Danny had done, reluctantly washing the evidence of Danny’s desire for him down the drain.

“Whatever you two got going on here, you’ve gotta figure it out, brah.”

Steve yanked out a paper towel, then puffed up his chest and shoulders, doing his best to loom over Chin. “How about you and Kono leave us the fuck alone, yeah? You think I can’t see through your whole divide and conquer strategy you got going on?” Steve’s hand waved centimeters from Chin’s face.

Chin didn’t even blink, his once calm voice now carrying a steel edge. “Look. You may not need to explain to me –“ Steve rolled his eyes and started to walk away. Chin gripped his wrist. He tipped his head, his gaze never breaking from Steve’s. “-but you have at least got to explain it to each other.”

The two men stared each other down for a long moment before Steve yanked his arm from Chin’s grip and stalked out the door.


	4. Chapter 4

“You aren’t going to come in, Danny?” Amber gave him a confused look.

Danny cut the Camaro’s engine after pulling it into Amber’s driveway and gave her the lightest smile he could.  “Actually sweetheart, I think we need to talk…”

 

_Did Amber go home w you?_

Danny read the incoming text from Steve. He ignored it and threw his phone on to the chair before collapsing into bed. He lay on his back, hands folded behind his head, pondering the events of the night, ignoring his phone yet again when it started to ring. His cock twitched when he thought of Steve lifting him onto the bathroom sink and jacking him off. Danny looked down. “No. Bad.” He lectured himself.

He was not going to get turned on by that again. He was not going to slide his hand down his sleep pants and relieve the growing pressure caused by filthy thoughts of Steve. Well, not all filthy. Danny heard Steve cut himself off when Chin walked in. Danny could hope all he wanted that Steve was about to say three words that Danny would love to hear, but even if that had been what Steve was about to say, they would have been words said in the heat of the moment.  

Danny yanked his hand out of his pajama pants at the sound of his door opening. He sat up and extended an arm towards his gun in the nightstand drawer.

“It’s me, Danny.”

Danny’s arm relaxed and he slumped back onto the bed. “Steve. What the hell.”

“You didn’t answer your phone.” Steve hovered near the bed.

“Thank you, Steven. I am aware.” Danny watched Steve watch him. Steve looked lost now that he had reached his destination. Danny lasted through twenty-six seconds of unsure silence. “Can I help you?” he asked with exaggerated patience.

The words seemed to light a fire under Steve’s oh so attractive butt. He sat down on the bed near Danny’s legs.

Danny couldn’t remember the last time he had seen Steve so tentative. It was certainly a one-eighty from the guy who had been shoving his hands down Danny’s pants all week. Danny sat up, his shoulder brushing Steve’s. “Steve.”

Steve didn’t say anything. He grabbed Danny’s hips and crushed Danny’s mouth under his own. Danny instinctively responded to the kiss, opening his mouth for Steve’s tongue.

It was Steve’s hands starting to work his shirt off that dragged Danny back to reality. “Don’t.” He leaned away from Steve. “Dammit, Steve, I’m not doing this with you anymore.” Every time Steve touched him, he got a little harder to ignore.

Steve’s eyes drank in Danny’s eyes, his cheeks, his mouth. Steve held Danny’s face in his hands as he kissed him again, gently this time. His tone and his touch both softened. “I want you, Danny.” Steve’s forehead dropped against Danny’s. “And I know you want me.” Steve reached for Danny’s hands and linked their fingers together, mindful of Danny's bandage. “Why are you being so difficult about this?”

Danny took one last moment to savor the feeling of having Steve so close. He closed his eyes and breathed in the scent that was Steve, and let himself give in to one last kiss. Tipping his mouth up to Steve’s, he squeezed Steve’s hands and almost whimpered in desperation as their tongues tangled together, the kiss quickly turning deep and dirty. How long would Steve’s lust for him last? Two months? Three?

Ripping his mouth away on a swallowed cry, he pushed Steve away. “Because _this_ , this is my whole life, Steve.” Danny ran his hands through his hair and tried to compose himself. “This game that you’re playing- teasing me at the office, getting under my skin when we are out with our friends, tempting me with memories of that night….that’s all it is to you. A game.  One that, believe me, I would love to let you win.” Danny drank in the sight of Steve standing there, panting and wanting him. “But babe…” Danny lifted his hands helplessly. “I can’t.”

“Danny-”

Danny fell back against the sheets and closed his eyes. “Go home, Steve.” 

 

Danny didn’t think Steve wanted him. Danny didn’t know Steve loved him.  Danny didn’t know that Steve’s sudden and hurried lust was his way of making up for lost time, not Steve’s way of getting a quick lay.

Steve would have to tell him, and show him. He’d beat Danny over the head with it if he had to. Tie his arms down and tape his mouth shut- Steve smirked at the thought- to keep Danny from getting a word in until Steve had said all he needed to say.

Steve hadn’t been happy about leaving Danny Friday night, but the weekend spent in self-induced solitary confinement had done him a world of good. Steve had spent the two days off reflecting on the last few years, examining the events that had brought him and Danny closer together. Remembering all the touches, all the laughter, unfortunately some of the tears, and all the gestures, big and small, that had served to show Steve just how much Danny meant to him; and, he hoped, vice versa.

He had indulged himself Saturday night, falling asleep after being sated by his own hand to thoughts of the night with Danny in the ocean-  and if he was being honest, to their hurried, illicit sweat session in the bathroom of the bar Friday night.

Recalling the social aspect of that night, having almost everyone he loved in the world in the same place at the same time, Steve had finally felt the tension slowly start to drain from his body. He had made some mistakes in the way he had tried to start something with Danny, probably partly due to not knowing if he was ready to make that leap or not.

But after the weekend and some serious self-examination, Steve felt the lock of denial that had been keeping him from sharing the depth of his feelings with Danny suddenly break.

 

Steve got to the office a good half an hour late on Monday morning, ensuring that he would be the last one to arrive. He had spent the weekend swimming, running, and lifting. With physical exertion had come lots of mental exercise as well, and he knew he had some apologizing to do, even before talking with Danny.  Steve headed to Chin’s office first, almost backtracking when he saw Kono in there as well.

Steve wasn’t a hundred percent sure of Chin’s thoughts on the subject, but he knew damn well his protégé had been rooting for Team Steve and Danny since about week three on the job. Steve didn’t feel that he had really hurt Kono’s feelings with his recent behavior directly, but she had seen him act like an ass and he wanted to prove to her that he was still a good guy… a good guy who deserved Danny. Danny and Kono had formed a special bond soon after starting to work together, and she was just as protective of Danny as he was of her. Steve figured he was much better off if Kono was in his corner.  And Chin, well, Chin had to be somewhat supportive since he had gotten on Steve’s case about ‘explaining their feelings to each other.’

He had expected to talk to the cousins separately, but with Kono standing near Chin behind the desk, it looked like he’d get two for one. He rapped on the open office door, not sure that he was welcome inside yet. Professionally, he normally wouldn’t care. Personally, he had a bit of groveling to do.

“Chin. Kono.”

Chin was scribbling something onto a file form, Kono was tapping something into her tablet. “Hey, Steve. I got the tox reports from our Jane Doe back from Max. I’m putting together the highlights to show the team later today.”

“Great.” Steve cleared his throat. “I was actually hoping you guys had a few minutes to talk about something else.” Kono barely spared him a glance.

Chin put his pen down and looked at Steve inquisitively. He gestured to the seat across from him but Steve waved him off. He would rather get this over with; the tense formality was getting to him even though he knew it was no less than he deserved.

Except now that he was here, Steve didn’t know how to begin. He wasn’t sure how long he stood there, stupidly silent.

Kono perched a hand on her hip, and her voice held a no-nonsense tone when she asked, “Really, Steve?” She was fast losing patience.

“Right. Okay. I haven’t really been myself lately, and I uh…” Steve had faced down many an enemy that wasn’t half as intimidating as Kono Kalakaua.  He composed himself and got his shit together. “I just wanted you guys to know that I’m sorry about how I’ve been acting.”

Chin leaned back in his chair. Kono waited.

Steve continued. “I’m trying to figure things out and haven’t exactly gone about it in the best way.” Kono snorted. “But I’m making a tactical retreat, and things will be a lot smoother from now on.”

Kono slid her hands into her back pockets, tipping her chin towards Danny’s office. “Isn’t there someone else you should be saying this to?”

Steve scowled. “I’ll get there.” Steve forced his eyes to meet Chin’s. “Look, I’m sorry about last weekend. At the bar.” Steve would later deny that his cheeks got a little pink. “In the uh, in the bathroom.” Kono’s smirk told him Chin had filled her in.

Chin studied him. “Sorry that you acted that way, or sorry that I walked in on you?”

“Um.” Steve coughed. “Both?”

Chin held his gaze for a long moment, enjoying the fact that Steve was trying hard not to squirm.

Steve let out a relieved exhale when Chin’s face finally started to break into a grin. “Oh, Steve. You’ve got it bad, brah.”

Steve was tired of denial. “Yeah.” He rubbed the back of his neck, and stared into Danny’s office. “So how the hell do I fix it?”

“What is it that you really want, Steve?” Kono took a few steps towards him. “And I don’t mean out of this conversation.” Kono followed his gaze as he looked out his office windows to the man in question.

“I want Danny to be happy.”

Kono’s eyes softened. “Then stop making him so miserable.”

 

Steve walked out of Chin’s office feeling lighter than he had in weeks. Now that he had cleared the air with one half of Five-0, the urge to pull Danny aside and tell him everything overwhelmed Steve. Cath had never gotten the chance to be with the man she had loved; Steve was determined not let anger and bitterness ruin his own. If all he could do was show Danny how much he cared, then he would do so every chance he got. Starting now.

Steve knew Danny returned his feelings; he just needed something big to prove to Danny that he was in this for real, forever, for better or worse.

A sudden idea struck Steve. He smiled and pulled out his phone to make a call. When he hung up, he walked by Chin’s office and poked his head in. Pulling out his truck keys, he said, “I’ll be back in thirty minutes. Tell Kono to call me in twenty.”  

 

Forty minutes later, Steve confidently strode in to Danny’s office. Danny’s lectures on manhandling etiquette be damned; he wrapped one hand around Danny’s bicep and said confidently, “Let’s go get lunch, partner. I’m starving.”

“Good day to you too, Steven.”  He hadn’t seen or spoken to Steve all morning. Steve ignored him and yanked him out of his chair. Danny was no slouch in the muscle department, but he felt himself being dragged out of his office.

It was when Steve’s hand slid down to hold Danny’s as they passed the tech table that gave him pause. “Steve. Steven. Yo, McGarrett!”

Steve finally stopped, and looked at Danny like he was the crazy one. “What? We have to go outside to get food.”

Even after the last few weeks, Danny couldn’t help the fond look he gave Steve. “It didn’t occur to you to ask me politely to go with you, like a normal person?” Steve just tugged on his hand and kept walking.  Danny rolled his eyes. “No, of course it didn’t.”

“You can lecture me later.” Steve led Danny out the door of HQ.

“Oh, believe me, I will. You just come in to my office after not talking to me all morning and two weeks of bad behavior, and expect me to just…um, Steven. Why is my daughter leaning up against the Camaro? Unsupervised? When she should be in school right now?” Danny’s voice got progressively louder.

Kono popped in to sight. “She’s not unsupervised, brah.” She looked at Steve. “You can explain the rest, Boss Man.”

“Mahalo, Kono.” Steve smiled at her.

“As much as I hate to miss this, I think it’s more of a family moment.” Kono grinned and clapped Danny on the shoulder. “Go easy on him, brah.”

“Hi, Danno!”  Grace greeted him with a big smile. Danny knelt down to hug her. “Hi baby. What are you doing here? Is everything okay? What happened?” He rose and turned to Steve, keeping a hand on Grace’s head. “And why did they call you instead of me?”

“They didn’t call me. I called them and asked to take Grace out of school early today.”

“And they let you?”

Steve tilted his head. “I am her emergency contact, Danno.” He winked at Grace.

Danny’s eyes narrowed. “You two have thirty seconds to explain to me what the fu- uh, heck is going on.” Gracie put her little hand in his and Danny’s fingers automatically wrapped around hers.

Steve took a deep breath, preparing to jump off the metaphorical cliff. Grace smiled and nodded exuberantly at him, and that gave him the boost he needed. “Danny, I’m an idiot.”

“Wow. Okay, there’s one thing I can cross off my bucket list.” Danny bit his lower lip. “As happy as it makes me to hear my supremely flawed, heart-attack inducing, arrogant partner actually admit to that, care to tell me what that has to do with kidnapping my daughter?”

Steve took the plunge. “No, I mean I have been an idiot with you. I have uh,” he glanced at Grace, “a lot to apologize for the last couple weeks. I haven’t treated you right. I want to fix that.”

“That’s the understatement of the year, babe. I obviously can’t go into detail right now, but there are many, many things you have to fix-“

Gracie tugged on his hand. “Let Uncle Steve talk, Danno! He hasn’t said the important part yet!”

“Danny.” Steve took Danny’s other hand in his. “I’m sorry. I’ve been a jerk. I want you, and instead of taking care of you, I let my,” another glance towards Grace, “baser instincts take over. And I meant every minute of it, but I should have told you how I felt. Should have told you what you mean to me.”

Danny glanced around. “Uh, Steve, as much as I appreciate what you’re trying to do here, are you sure you picked the best place for this conversation?”

Grace pulled at his hand again. “Dan-nnno!”

“I know it’s a bit unconventional but I had to show you how serious I am about this.” The words were flooding out of Steve’s mouth now. “I know you think this is a phase for me, that it’s more about lust than love. But it’s not, Danny. And I knew if I just came in today and told you as much, that you wouldn’t be easily convinced.”  Steve reached down and took Gracie’s small hand in his own, standing with his family with all of their fingers linked together. “You know how much I love Grace. How I would never to anything to hurt her.” Steve’s eyes were soft. “It’s the same way I feel about you, Danno. I would never do anything to hurt you. And. And I love you. More than anything or anyone.” He playfully tugged on Grace’s arm. “Except this girl.”

Gracie smiled up at him, Danny just stood with his mouth open. “Steve, what-“

“I love you, Danny. I’m in love with you. I’m saying it to you in front of Gracie because I know she is the most important person in the world to you, and it was the only way I could think of to convince you how serious I am about this. About us. I couldn’t bring her into this if I weren’t.”

Steve would congratulate himself later on finally making Danny speechless. He lightly squeezed Danny’s hand. “Feel free to speak anytime here, Danno.” Steve’s heart sped up a bit and his stomach dropped.

Danny looked between him and Grace, and stupidly said the first thing that came to his mind. He looked at his daughter. “You knew about this?”

“Uncle Steve and I had an important conversation in the car. A um. Um…” she looked up at Steve.

“A heart to heart.” Steve smiled, but nervousness at Danny’s lack of response was starting to settle in.

Danny nodded at her. “I see.” He looked at Steve. “And you. You’re sure about this? About us?” Danny’s eyes searched his, containing a thousand questions. But a smile was creeping across his face.

“I love you,” Steve repeated. “I’m surer than I’ve ever been in my life. I want this. I want you. For ever and ever, till death do us part.”

Grace ripped her hands from theirs and squealed. “Uncle Steve!” she shouted. Even she knew what those phrases meant.

Danny’s eyes crinkled. “Till death do us part, huh?” He grabbed Steve’s other hand. “Maybe we won’t go there yet, but with you, McGarrett, that could come sooner rather than later.” He yanked him down for a kiss, Grace jumping up and down next to them, screaming with excitement. “So we probably shouldn’t waste any more time.”

 

“Danny, Danny,  _Danny,”_ Steve breathed. His mouth was devouring Danny’s as his hands framed Danny’s face. He moved them both towards the bed until he felt them bump into it. Danny stumbled backwards onto the bed as Steve's hands glided up Danny's body, taking his shirt with them.  Moonlight spilled over Danny’s muscular form and Steve wasted no time crawling along the length of him.  He was finally his to touch, to love, to take.

He braced one arm beside Danny’s face as he gripped Danny’s jaw in the other, fusing their mouths together in a possessive kiss. Steve jammed his knee in between Danny’s thighs, gently nudging the vee of Danny’s legs.  Danny’s moan against Steve’s mouth made Steve nudge just a bit harder and he moved his mouth from Danny’s jaw to his neck, hot and open and wet. He felt Danny’s hands fist through his hair as he nipped and teethed Danny’s collarbone. Danny thrust himself against Steve’s rock hard thigh, and Steve abruptly stood.

Steve whipped off his shirt and undid his cargoes in record time. He took a second to look at Danny, lying on Steve’s bed, propped up on his elbows and running his hungry gaze along Steve’s body. Steve brazenly ran his hand slowly down his chest, his abs, and over his cock. Danny pulled on his lower lip with his teeth and Steve was lost.

He stepped back in between Danny’s legs at the same time that Danny’s upper body shot up off the bed to meet Steve’s mouth with his own and Steve’s cock with his hand. Steve fumbled with the zipper on Danny’s pants, gripping Danny through his boxers as he yanked his pants down and off his legs. His brain was short circuiting, between Danny’s tongue in his mouth and his hand on Steve’s dick. He fell over Danny again, barely catching himself with one arm near Danny’s shoulder.

Danny tore his mouth from Steve’s, and Steve practically whimpered at the loss until he felt that same tongue running along his bicep.  Danny had turned his head to the side and was running his tongue along Steve’s tattoo, his hand still pumping Steve and fuck if it wasn’t one of the hottest things Steve had ever experienced. Danny boldly locked his gaze on Steve’s as he continued running his mouth down Steve’s arms. Steve braced himself on his opposite forearm and lifted the one that Danny was licking off the bed. He held it above Danny’s mouth as Danny licked along his forearm, swiping his tongue across the sensitive skin on Steve’s inner wrist. Danny’s hand slowly pumped up and down along Steve’s cock, and Steve could only watch in wonder as Danny slid his tongue along Steve’s palm and up his ring finger. Steve placed his fingers against Danny’s lips, and Danny smirked before obliging Steve and taking his index and middle fingers into his mouth.

Danny’s hand stroked Steve’s cock as his mouth mimicked his actions on Steve’s fingers. Steve groaned at the sight, at Danny pleasuring him two different ways. Desperate to regain control, Steve slowly drew his fingers out of Danny’s mouth and recaptured it with his own.  He reached down and pulled Danny’s hand off his cock and pushed Danny’s arms above his head. Steve locked Danny’s wrists together with one hand and ran his other hand down Danny’s body, starting at his jawline. His cock rubbed against Danny’s as his fingers marked a possessive line along Danny’s collarbone, his chest, down the center of his abs and along the muscular line of his hips. Steve trailed his hand along Danny’s thigh, taking immense pleasure in watching Danny watch him. Steve’s eyes remained locked on Danny’s as he continued to make his mark, cocks sliding along each other and his hand wrapping around Danny’s right thigh. Steve hauled his hand around the back of Danny’s leg and hooked it around his waist.

Steve slicked himself up as Danny watched, then used his fingers to make sure Danny was ready. He finally had what he wanted, had what he knew they both wanted. Steve was aching with need, and could have come just from watching Danny pliant beneath him. Wanting to savor every second but desperate for release, Steve’s instincts took over.

“Who else, Danny.” Steve was poised just outside of where they both needed him to be. Danny’s thighs were hugging his hips.

“Come on, Steve.” Danny’s hips inched off the bed, needing contact, needing _Steve._

Steve didn’t move. “Who else, Danno,” he growled. His chest was sweating against Danny’s, his forearms braced on either side of Danny’s biceps. He gripped Danny’s strong shoulders in his palms and raked his teeth along his ear. “Who _else.”_

“No one,” Danny panted. “Please…”

He was rewarded as Steve pushed in, just an inch. “Tell me again.”

Danny dug his fingers into Steve’s hips, his arms rubbing against Steve’s sides. “No one.”

Another agonizing inch. “No one what?” Steve gritted his teeth.

“Fuck, Steve.” Danny thrust his hips upward. “No one else. No one but you.”

Danny almost cried out when Steve suddenly thrust himself all the way in. “Mine, Danno. No one else.” He started to pump his hips.

Danny rocked along with him. “No one else, babe.”  Their eyes met as they both went over the edge.

 

_Two months later_

“No, Steve. That’s not where the tower goes.” Grace knocked over the pile of sand that Steve had started. 

“Grace. Even princesses need tactical observation towers.” Steve argued. He moved to rebuild his little turret.

Grace glared at him. “Princesses have people to do that for them.” She shook her head. Sometimes Uncle Steve could be really slow.

“So where are these people supposed to do that from, if not from a North facing tower?”

Grace rolled her eyes and heard her Daddy chuckle from a few yards away. She pointed to a mound of sand on the side of her castle. “From right there.” She gestured to her impressive singular tower at the front of her grainy creation. “Everyone knows that towers are for princesses. Not guards.”

Steve quickly rose to his feet. “And what happens when the evil ogre gets past the guards, and captures the fair princess?” He scooped her up and threw her over his shoulder, smiling as he ran towards the ocean.

“No!” Gracie shrieked. “Danno! Help!” She playfully pounded Steve’s back as he ran with her into the waves.

“Danno can’t help you now, princess.” Steve growled. He ran past the tide and crashed with her under the water. Grace came up seconds later, sputtering and giggling. “No fair! You’re supposed to be my guard, Uncle Steve, not the evil ogre!”  She splashed around. “Danno! Come save me!”

Danny grinned and made his way into the water, making a show of taking Steve under. “Fear not, fair princess.”  Danny reassured when they surfaced. Grace giggled and jumped onto Steve’s back. He played along, fake stumbling back under the waves, shouting, “The princess, she’s stronger than she looks!”

Grace took off like a shot towards the sandy beach. She looked right back at Steve and yelled, “Uh huh, Dad, you can’t catch me!” running out of the ocean.

Steve’s mouth dropped open, but no sound came out. Danny cast a sympathetic look towards Steve, a warm feeling flooding through him. “You look like you’ve just been sucker punched, babe.”

Steve just looked at him, his stunned expression frozen on his face. “I…she said... Danny, she just called me…” Steve looked at him helplessly.

“Is that a problem?”

Steve blinked. “It’s not a problem for you?” Steve turned his head to look at Grace. “That…that means…”

Danny watched Steve’s disbelief, love for this man spreading through him. “That means that she feels that ‘Step-Steve’ isn’t quite adequate.”

Grace ran back towards the waterline, squealing. “Dad, come get me!” Steve looked between her and Danny.

Danny nodded. “She doesn’t mean me, babe.” He grinned as he watched Steve take off for the shore faster than Danny had ever seen him move. Steve gathered up their daughter in what started as a playful tackle but turned into a crushing hug.  

Danny took his time leaving the ocean, allowing Steve and Gracie their private moment.  His throat burned but his eyes shone as he walked to join his family.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Check out my latest original debuts at www.autumnmckayne.com


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